Lolo

A very important person is celebrating his 101st - repeat, 101st - birthday tomorrow. Below is a diary entry I wrote a few months before he celebrated his 100th. I am reprinting it herewith as a humble tribute to someone I will always look up to: my Lolo Serio.

A DAY WITH LOLO SERIO: AN ATTEMPT TO DECIPHER LOLO SERIO'S SECRET TO OLD AGE (DIARY ENTRY: 5^th OF JUNE, 2007)

Every time my sister Erma would emphasize to this balding world's pilgrim that in today's age, what matters most is no longer how long you live but how well you live, I would always look at my Lolo Serio.

Lolo is my best example of a man who has lived long and, well, well beyond the meaning of the word "well."

Lolo is turning 100 years old this coming August 27, 2007. He wears no eyeglasses or hearing aid, uses no cane, and his mind appears as active as people less than half his age. He still sings in the videoke, dances the Pantomina - the Bicolano traditional folk dance - and plays the piano and the guitar. He reads his Bible daily, composes poems and songs and types in his old manual Olympia typewriter. Ever since I could remember, Lolo has been singing the Pasyon alone in his office every Lenten season. He goes to church everyday, at four o'clock in the morning, seven times a week, by walking from the house to the church and climbing the 76 steps of the hilltop church. He attends vigil at the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapel every Friday evening.

Lolo has always been in the pink of health, this despite his age. He is not hypertensive, not a diabetic, and with no heart problems. He very seldom gets sick and therefore becomes absent from the daily four o'clock Masses.

Lolo laughs heartily, almost like Santa Claus. He talks to everyone with a smile - one that is so simple but always lasts. Lolo has the patience of a saint, an aura of a saint. And believe it or not, at almost 100 years old, he ironically also has the smell of a baby. That is because Lolo is always clean to a fault and would always radiate in splendor with his favorite perfume: Intimate.

What is Lolo's secret to old age? How does one dissect a contagion of warmth and peace as radiated by one's aura? How shall we run our fingers on the anatomy of a completely fulfilled life?

Lolo would always say he has no secret at all except his lifestyle - a life defined by prayers.

Lolo's day officially starts before three o'clock in the morning. It would be easy to see that because at this early hour, you would already hear him reciting the Holy Rosary. I have occupied the basement, right below his bedroom, for several years as my bedroom and I would know the first signs of Lolo's movements the moment he awakes. I recall, too, that as a child, I have had on countless occasions, the rare opportunity of sleeping beside Lolo and our departed Lola in their bedroom. And ever since I was a child, I have always heard him recite the Holy Rosary in Bicol although he narrates that he would also sometimes recite the prayer in Spanish when his parents were still alive. After the recitation of the Holy Rosary, you would already hear him singing and moving around in his bedroom preparing for the first morning Mass which is scheduled at four o'clock. One would normally hear him sing liturgical songs, oftentimes the Latin ones like Tantum Ergo, Ave Maria, Te Deum, or sometimes the Bicol ones like Daing siisay man an nabubuhay para sa sadiri lamang. You would also know once he is ready to leave for the church. The fragrant smell of his perfume would unfailingly announce his exit from his bedroom door. I believe that his collection of perfumes is the only vanity he would indulge himself in. And he would walk from his bedroom to the main door reciting three times the words Ave Maria purisima, sinficado concevida.

Lolo has been attending the first Mass scheduled at four o'clock in the morning since I don't know when - everyday, seven times a week. In fact, Lolo's absence at the altar during the first Mass would instantly announce that something wrong has happened with Lolo - he could have most probably gotten sick.

Since 1984, Lolo has always been attending Mass in formal or semi-formal attire. He would either be in a Jusi-tailored Barong Tagalog or in white long sleeve shirt with necktie. This is because he was installed in 1984 as a lay minister by the former bishop of Sorsogon, Bishop Jesus Y. Varela. Since 1984 therefore, he has been serving in that capacity the local parish of St. Michael the Archangel.

He walks from the house to the church, and from the church to the house which totals about three kilometers, more or less. He has always shunned riding on any kind of vehicle. The reason: he easily gets dizzy and he easily throws up during travel. In fact, he would rather walk going to Lagundi or Lamboon - each about three kilometers from the house - than ride on a vehicle. About two or three years ago, in one of my visits to Irosin, I had the chance of joining him in going to church to attend the Misa de Gallo mass. My Lolo was actually running while climbing the 76 steps of the hilltop church of St. Michael the Archangel, taking two and three steps at a time. It is just amazing at his age.

From the church, he brings the Sacred Host to some ailing people he knows. This has been an apostolate since he was installed as a lay minister. Thereafter, he proceeds to the bakery of Piaca, which boasts of the best hot pan de sal in the province, and buys some hot pan de sal and ensaymada. It would also be easy to know of his arrival from the church. The moment he opens the door of the house, he would again be reciting three times the words Ave Maria purisima, sinficado concevida. And of course, his perfume would always fill the air.

At about six thirty in the morning, he would already be taking his breakfast. His morning meal would usually include the hot pan de sal and ensaymada from the bakery of Piaca, Sunnyside eggs, fried rice, and a glassful of milk. No cold water for Lolo - he advises against drinking cold water especially in the morning.

Lolo would announce every meal and would therefore invite everyone to the table by ringing his antique bronze bell. The antique bell was unearthed in barangay San Juan during the reconstruction of the barangay's waterways. Today, I am told that the antique bell is now conveniently installed in the barangay chapel of Relief, Bacolod - one of the chapels he built for the local church.

After breakfast, you would see him feeding his pets - the dogs and the cats and the pigeons. I recall that he used to have dozens of dogs and dozens of cats when I was still a kid. And even today, he allots several sacks of rice every year for the pigeons. He loves pets - dogs, cats, birds, and even the exotic pets that my father used to have - deers, wild pigs, eagles, tariktiks, wild doves, bingalas, and different species of wild animals.

The rest of the morning would be spent reading his Bible and other books, writing - which we later found out were pieces of poetry and Bicol songs - and typing in his old manual Olympia typewriter. At about 10:30 or 11:00, he would watch television from his rocking chair. Sometimes he would play the piano or the guitar, singing his own Bicol compositions.

Lunch would be at 12 noon. Lolo eats more vegetables and fish. He very seldom eats meat. He cherishes anything ginataan. I have learned that as a child, Lolo had been called "Kinagod," in reference to the scraped coconut jelly. This is because as a child, Lolo accordingly had the habit of eating "kinagod."

Lolo would be taking siesta at around one o'clock. At times, he would fall asleep while watching television, on his favorite rocking chair. The rest of the afternoon would be spent on reading, writing, playing his guitar or piano, or playing vinyl plates on his old stereo. Lolo's favorite records include the usual classics - Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, and Mozart as well as classic Tagalog and English songs. At other times, however, Lolo would be humming along favorite march compositions which do not exclude marches played during graduation rites and parades.

Just a few years back, Lolo would be working on a field - weeding and planting - at four o'clock. With an old "buri" hat on his head, the finest bolo tucked in his waist, boots on his feet, and a rake that would also serve as a cane on his hand, he would indulge himself on his favorite exercise until twilight. The haciendero tending his farm.

Lolo's love is agriculture. He just loves to plant. For which reason, he bought several hundreds of hectares of land, a large chunk of which he later distributed for free among his hundreds of tenants. Lolo was already distributing and giving out lands even before Agrarian Reform was made into law.

Dinner would be announced with the peeling of the same antique bell at seven in the evening. Meals would usually come with often-funny stories and anecdotes. In fact, it was during meals, on the long sixteen-seater dining table, where I've come to be acquainted with the sagas of Buroablo and Kuyukuti, tales which would later form part of my sweetest childhood recollections.

Lolo would often be strumming his guitar after dinner. Or he would be narrating personal anecdotes or discussing biblical narratives to avid listeners.

He would retire in his bedroom before eight. And he would again recite the Holy Rosary before he sleeps.

What I have spoken of here is only about Lolo's schedule for a day. There are definitely a lot more to say and write about him. In fact, it would be an understatement to say that Lolo is someone who never ceases to amuse anyone who knows him. For me particularly, he will always be of particular interest, someone I will always look up to, someone I will always be very proud of, someone whose very life will always be a model.

You cannot choose your ancestors, but whoever has chosen Lolo Serio to be my lolo is blessed indeed. To Him, I will forever be grateful. As my dear father Erning would always say: "Pambihira ini si Lolo mo. Di ka makakuwa sin pareho son. Sana lang, di man siya makakuwa sin pareho saato."

Long live Lolo Serio!

Postscript: Lolo became seriously ill just two months before his 100^th birthday. He was hospitalized and fought for his dear life due to what we only recently learned was ulcer. He spent several days in the hospital but he held on and recovered fastly like he was given a second lease on life. He triumphantly cheated death, all thanks to God and happily celebrated, with pomp and aplomb, his centennial last year. Except for a significant effect in his sense of hearing, Lolo is now back in his usual form, up and about, and as the song he sometimes sings goes, alive, alert, awake and enthusiastic.

Only about two weeks ago, I received a barrage of text messages from relatives in the province, all filled with hearty hahahahaha and a collective conclusion that Lolo would be up to live several decades more. The reason: Almost twenty years since my late Lola Salud died, Lolo is young at heart again, Lolo is once again ... in love!

My jaw dropped, as yours would perhaps do, too. "Shocking!" a cousin remarked. "Unbelievable!" another exclaimed. Hmm... I say:

On to the next 100?

This is Lolo Serio's baptismal entry in the baptismal records of the St. Michael the Archangel Parish. Based on this document, he was baptized the day after he was born (August 28, 1907) by Fr. Pascual Gacosta. Fr. Gacosta served the Parish of St. Michael from 1898 to 1914.

This is the almanac from which Lolo Serio's name was lifted. Entry for August 27 lists the name Licerio while an entry under letter G lists the name Glicerio.

The earliest available photo of Lolo Serio where he was about 2-3 years old. Clockwise: Eustaquio Pura, a teacher; Sabiniano Gacias, Lolo Serio's elder brother; Don Pedro Gacias y Gabiazo, Lolo Serio's father; Asuncion Gacias, Lolo Serio's sister and Don Pedro's and Dona Rosa's second child; Dona Rosa Gacias y Galindes, Lolo Serio's mother; Lolo Serio; Dona Emeteria Pura y Encinares, Lolo Rosa's mother and Lolo Serio's grandmother; Maria Gacias, Lolo Serio's sister and Don Pedro's and Dona Rosa's third child.

A 22 year old Lolo Serio swimming in San Benon Hot Springs. Photo taken on June 25, 1929.

Lolo Serio as a Lay Minister. Lolo Serio was installed as a Lay Minister in 1984 by the former bishop of Sorsogon, Bishop Jesus Y. Varela.

























Lolo Serio dancing the Pantomina - the Bicolano traditional folk dance - with Ms. Lilia Gonzales, current mayor of the municipality of Irosin.

A more pensive Lolo Serio contemplating the beauty of Dancalan Beach in Bulusan, Sorsogon.

Lolo Serio giving a talk to members of the Association of Senior Citizens of Irosin. Needless to say, Lolo Serio is the oldest member not only in the municipality but also in the whole province of Sorsogon.

Lolo Serio giving a short talk during the 2001 Christmas party of the Association of Senior Citizens of Irosin.

Lolo Serio rendering his Bicol version of Anniversary Song, one of his favorites. Lolo Serio still sings in a videoke and sings his Bicol compositions while playing the piano or the guitar.